You wanna tell me what this is all about?
As I walk through the valley of the shadow of death
I take a look at my life and realize there's nothin' left
'Cause I been blasting and laughing so long that
even my mama thinks that my mind is gone
But I ain't never crossed a man that didn't deserve it
Me be treated like a punk, you know that's unheard of
You better watch out your talkin' and where your walkin'
Or you and your homies might be lined in chalk
I really hate to trip, but I gotta loc
As they croak, I see myself in the pistol smoke Fool
I'm the kinda G the little homies wanna be like
On my knees in the night, saying prayers in the street light
Been spending most our lives Livin' in a gangsta's paradise
Been spending most our lives Livin' in a gangsta's paradise
Keep spending most our lives Livin' in a gangsta's paradise
Keep spending most our lives Livin' in a gangsta's paradise
Look at the situation they got me facin'
I can't never have a normal life, I was raised by the street
So I gotta be down with the hood team
Too much television watching, got me chasing dreams
I'm an educated fool with money on my mind
Got my ten in my hand and a gleam in my eye
I'm a loc'd out gangsta, set trippin' banger
And my homies is down, so don't arouse my anger, fool
Death ain't nothing but a heart beat away
I'm livin' life do or die, what can I say?
I'm 23 now but will I live to see 24?
The way things is goin' I don't know
Tell me why are we so blind to see
That the ones we hurt are you and me?
Been spending most our lives Livin' in a gangsta's paradise
We've been spending most our lives Livin' in a gangsta's paradise
Keep spending most our lives Livin' in a gangsta's paradise
Keep spending most our lives Livin' in a gangsta's paradise
Power and the money Money and the power
Minute after minute Hour after hour
Everybody's running but half of them ain't livin'
What's going on in the kitchen but I don't know what's cooking
They say I gotta learn but no one's here to teach me
If they can't understand it How can they reach me?
I guess they can't I guess they won't
I guess they front That's how I know my life is outta luck, fool
We've been spending most our lives livin' in a gangsta's paradise
We've been spending most our lives livin' in a gangsta's paradise
Keep spending most our lives livin' in a gangsta's paradise
Keep spending most our lives livin' in a gangsta's paradise
Tell me why are we so blind to see
That the ones we hurt are you and me?
Tell me why are we so blind to see